Like
most people, Im
not overly
fussed about whats
powering my
wheels, and am perfectly happy
to use an electric car every day just
so long as it can provide the range 
without the anxiety. Like Vauxhalls
Plug n
Play extended-range electric
vehicle, the Ampera: the only EV
totally suitable for all journeys...
I DON'T NEED TO BE Derren Brown to predict your first question: But what about
the performance?" Actually the Ampera's performance is more than fit for purpose
 the top speed is a good old-fashioned 'ton' (100mph) while the
benchmark 0-62mph is a spirited 8.7 seconds.

However, none of the bhp produced by this 'slave' engine reaches the wheels.
Well, not directly, because the combustion engine is only there to charge the
main battery pack. What drives the Ampera's front wheels at all times is a 147bhp
electric drive unit powered by a battery pack installed under the boot floor.

No, you dont have to
turn off the AirCon
to save the battery!
This silent running,
electric-driven Ampera
does everything a
traditional car will do,
including taking four
adults as far as
360 miles without
stopping...

Basically,
at speeds up to 60mph the main electric motor does all the work; above that
it runs in tandem with a smaller secondary electric motor.

Electricity stored within the main battery powers the wheels for up to 50 miles.
For the record, GM's research shows this will satisfy the daily commuting needs
of 85% of the Western world's motorists  all without consuming a drop
of expensive unleaded.

When the battery needs recharging the 'range-extender' petrol engine seamlessly
kicks-in to run an on-board generator which in turn provides the electricity
for a further 310 miles. Although the Ampera's state-of-the-art power-sharing
arrangements are technologically complicated, the driver has absolutely no need
to understand how it all works  after all, you don't need (or even want)
to know how electricity works to turn on the light in your kitchen. Just mentally
thank GM, relax, and make use of it because it works. Exceedingly well.

So what does it all mean to the end-user? Two things: cleaner motoring (27g/km)
and, even if you don't give a fig for the environment, a range of as much as
360 miles  which lays that EV range anxiety bogeyman well and truly to
rest.

And I can already hear your next question: But isn't it just another übergreen
hairshirt kind of car for 21st century hippies with only the most basic equipment,
and AirCon you have to turn off to 'save' the battery? Fred Flintstone might
believe that… but just take a look at what you get in the cabin. And Yes, you
can leave the climate control on  all of the time!

The cabin itself exudes a cosy, coupe-like ambience  it's a well-judged
and smartly-presented marriage of high-tech and executive quality; stylish too,
with a high standard of finish and quality trim materials.

Its no exaggeration to say that this Vauxhall
feels as quality as, say, an Audi  thanks to the first
rate attention to detail throughout...

In
fact, it's no exaggeration to say that this Vauxhall feels as 'quality' as,
say, an Audi  thanks to the first rate attention to detail throughout
that even extends to the tailored floor mats and the easily-adjustable headrests
with oh-so-easy release buttons in their sides.

The driving position is spot-on and made better by the lovely meaty, leather-rimmed
multifunction (cruise, speed limiter, phone, voice, etc) wheel that feels great
in your hands. Visibility to the front and sides is very good and, especially
reassuring on wet days (this is the UK!), the windscreen wipers clear just about
every last inch of the front screen.

As you'd expect with such a space-age propulsion system, the driver interfaces
with the car via a pair of seven-inch LCD displays. The first, dead ahead and
viewed through the steering wheel, does away with conventional instruments and
shows key driver information clearly and attractively using self-explanatory
icons and straightforward, supwe clear readouts. Nothing geeky here.

Centre of this display is a large mpg figure in clear glowing white showing
your exact road speed. Brilliant. All cars should ditch traditional speedos
and have one of these. Depending on the driver's requirements, different sets
of information can be shown.

The second large screen (with intuitive 3D touchscreen operation) sits at the
top of the centre stack and provides audio, navigation and multimedia. Just
below it and the climate controls is a smooth zone that's home to a number of
key-function touch pad buttons operated by your fingertips. Again, easy-peasy.

The cabin is a four-seater but it's on a par with mainstream Focus-sized hatchbacks,
so it's big enough and practical enough for four adults. The four individual
seats are smartly upholstered in black leather with perforated centre panels
(and a white leather flash in the seatbacks to match the white high-gloss laminate
door trims that run into the fascia), with comfy bolstering, and are surrounded
with a good measure of space in all directions.

In the rear, the underfloor battery pack rules out a centre seat but that doesn't
stop the two rear outer seats being notably comfortable  the fifth passenger's
loss is definitely the other two passengers' gain!

Back
seat passengers enjoy decent built-in lower back support and sit several inches
higher than those in front, but even so their heads won't touch the roof and
the view out is good.

If you can charge a mobile phone you can charge
up an Ampera. Simply plug the supplied cable into a 3-pin, 240V household
socket and your Ampera will be fully charged in under six hours...

Near-six-footers
can sit behind similarly-sized adults with ease, separated from their companion
by a long centre console that provides an open tray and a pair of cupholders.

Anyone travelling in the rear of an Ampera will definitely not feel like a second
class citizen. Also handy is the easily-detached soft leather storage pouch
velcroed between the 50:50 split rear backrests.

With the battery pack installed beneath the boot floor you might expect luggage
space to be something of a token. Not so  it's not only of a decent size
(300 litres) but the individual rear seatbacks also fold down to create a very
usable, flat 1,200-litre cargo bay complete with sturdy lashing rings. Loading
is over a six-inch lip but the tailgate opens high. The boot floor lifts (and
stays in place) for access to the stored 6-metre charging lead, a standard 12V
car battery (for the car's normal electrics) and a tyre repair and inflation
kit.

Any doubts about charging the Ampera can be instantly dismissed: if you can
charge a mobile phone you can charge up an Ampera. Simply plug the cable into
a 3-pin, 240V household socket (preferably on a separate circuit; although ours
wasn't and we didn't have any problems) and your Ampera will be fully charged
in under six hours.

Alternatively you can take advantage of a free home-charging unit installation
kit that will recharge your Ampera in under four hours  in February 2013
the Government announced funding for owners of electric vehicles (EVs) under
which they will cover 75% of costs for home-charging unit installations (up
to a maximum of £1,000 including VAT). And, for new private buyers taking up
the offer, those nice folk at Vauxhall will meet the remaining 25%.

People
who haven't driven an EV tend to imagine there's something fiendishly tricksy
about them. Not a bit. The Ampera comes equipped with a selector lever with
settings you'll find in a conventional auto: the lever moves out of Park through
Reverse to Neutral into Drive; and like a conventional auto it 'creeps' in D
or R when you lift off the brake pedal. A Low position reduces speed without
braking and is useful for steep hills, snow or mud.

Additionally there's a Drive Mode button offering four driving modes: Normal,
Sport, Hold, and Mountain. The default Normal is a select 'n' forget mode that's
all you really need for everyday driving. Sport delivers more responsive acceleration
while Hold reserves main battery charge by switching to the range-extender mode
so when you reach low-emission urban zones you have enough in hand to avoid
the recharging petrol engine cutting-in.

Mountain
(ideally selected about twenty minutes before beginning your ascent) ensures
there's always enough power stored in the battery to guarantee full performance
when climbing long, steep gradients such as you'd find in the Highlands 
although we went up some demanding inclines using Normal and it worked perfectly
fine. Even so, it's nice to know you've got back-up should you ever really need
it.

Press down on the loud
pedal and youll be
met by golden
silence  at the same
time youll be amazed by
just how deceptively
quick the electric motor
gets you off the mark.
In fact, at any time
and speed, response to
the throttle is instantaneous...

Powering
up couldn't be simpler: press the glowing blue Power button to switch on the
ignition; the 'car' icon in the instrument display will illuminate bright green
and you're good to go. Power delivery  always superbly smooth  is
notable for its quietness.

Press down on the loud pedal and, particularly in pure electric mode, you'll
be met by golden silence  at the same time you'll be amazed by just how
deceptively quick the electric motor gets you off the mark. In fact, at any
time and speed, response to the throttle is instantaneous. All of which makes
the Ampera a very relaxing and gratifying car to drive (or to be driven in).

Adding to the physical comfort provided by the four individual seats is an impressively
compliant ride. But it's not too soft to provide respectable handling, and the
Ampera can be punted around on decent roads. And when it's time to park the
light-ish steering, rear-view camera and accurate parking sensors make snaking
Vauxhall's EV into tight parking bays a stress-free job.

The only thing you need to get used to is that people won't hear you coming
 pressing the button on the end of the indicator stalk sounds a soft-note
audible warning (not as strident as the normal horn) to alert foot traffic to
your presence.

Silent running aside, probably the biggest kick you'll get while driving an
Ampera is wafting blithely past petrol stations. Actually, it's quite possible
you may never visit one again…

Besides, charging up at home is so much more civilised. And cheap  the
cost of a full recharge from the mains, depending on your supplier, is between
£1 and £2. And that will get you as far as fifty miles before the petrol engine
begins generating more electricity until you can recharge from a household socket
or a public charging point. Better still, your frugal mile-per-charge costs
are bolstered by not having to put your hand in your pocket for road tax or
Boris's London Congestion Charge.

And now, thanks to Vauxhall's 30-day 'Love it or Return it' scheme, the Ampera
(the 2012 European Car of the Year) comes complete with ZPA  Zero Purchase
Anxiety. Buyers get a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, meaning that you can buy
it, try it, and if it doesn't suit, simply return it within 30 days, no questions
asked. Not that you'll want to.  MotorBar